Hand stitching tool

ABSTRACT

The hand stitching tool can be used to create knit- and crochet-like stitches for making entire garments as well as for seaming together the pieces of a garment, surface embellishing, stitching on beads, creating unique knit-like and crochet-like edgings, stitching fabric or leather, applying fringe, stitching needlepoint canvas, jewelry making, and many other applications. The stitching tool can be used to create basic knit-like and crochet-like stitches by using it in the way shown in the drawings. A variety of other stitch patterns can be created by manipulating the stitch tool. The user creates the stitches one stitch at a time by inserting the needle into the stitch while the other hand holds the newly formed stitch. The yarn carriers carry the yarn making it easier to control than with traditional knitting needles or crochet hooks, and two strands of yarn can be used simultaneously. Some stitches or fabrics can be made with the tool that cannot be made with traditional knitting needles or crochet hooks The tool is easier to learn than traditional knitting needles or crochet hooks, and this method is faster than traditional methods of knitting and crocheting. The tool is portable and fits in the palm of the hand. The tool does not require multiple sizes to create different size stitches. Any item that can normally be made by hand knitting or crocheting can be made on the tool.

The key elements of the tool are the stitching needle, dual yarncarrier, two detachable foam stitch tensioners and handle. Drawing 1shows an example of a tool but other configurations of handles can beused.

The needle eyes are designed to accommodate different weights of yarn.

The tool is made with a plastic handle with the needles being made ofsteel, but can be made of other materials.

The two different size detachable stitch tensioners determine the sizeof the stitch, making it possible to create stitches of different sizeswithout the need for multiple tools. The tensioner slides onto thestitching needle prior to threading the tool, and is stored on the yarncarriers when not in use, making it less likely for the stitchtensioners to become lost or separated from the tool.

HOW THE TOOL IS USED

The tool can be held in either hand and in any way convenient to theuser.

To create a smaller stitch, one of the stitch tensioners is insertedonto the stitching needle prior to threading the tool.

Threading the Tool:

Right-handed Users:

-   -   1. The needle is threaded by inserting the yarn up through the        right yarn carrier, (or through both if using two strands of        yarn simultaneously). (Left-handed users thread through left        yarn carrier.)    -   2. Bring the yarn across the top of the handle and down through        the stitching needle eye. (Drawing 2)

Holding the Tool: Hold the tool as you would hold a pencil with thethumb is positioned on the bottom of the handle, and the index finger onthe top. The index finger should be almost parallel with the handle.(Drawing 3)

Basic Chain stitch: (The basic chain is the foundation of all otherstitches.)

-   -   1. Tie a slip knot 6 inches from the end of the yarn. Pull one        inch of yarn between the needle eye and the slip knot. (Drawing        4)    -   2. Push needle eye through slip knot pushing knot up to base of        needle (where handle begins or up to stitch tensioner). (Drawing        5)    -   3. With the left thumb and index finger, hold the yarn to the        left side of the needle eye. (Drawing 6) (Needle must pull back        along yarn feeding from skein. If needle does not pull back the        needle has become twisted and the yarn is on the wrong side of        the needle eye.)    -   3a. Pull the needle out of the slip knot and back 1 inch. This        is the first stitch of the basic chain. (Drawing 7)    -   4. Push needle through newly formed stitch that is being held in        left hand, pushing tool back to stitch tensioner as you did for        slip knot in step 2.    -   5. Hold yarn at needle eye with left hand as for step 3, and        pull needle out one inch from work. This forms the second stitch        of the basic chain.

Continue in this manner until the desired length of chain is achieved.(Drawing 8)

Turning Stitch: The turning stitch is always used when ending one row ofstitches. It is made before turning the work and beginning the next rowof stitches. The turning stitch is one chain stitch after the laststitch in that row.

Make one turning stitch and turn work so tool is on the left with chainon the right.

Basic Knit-like (KL) Stitch: (Follows basic chain and turning stitch).With tool on left and chain on the right, user is ready to begin row.(Drawing 9)

-   -   1. Holding turning stitch with thumb and index finger, skip        first stitch of previous row. Insert needle into top of the        second stitch of the basic chain, pushing stitch up to        tensioner. (Drawing 10)    -   2. With left index finger and thumb, slip the turning stitch        onto the needle (Drawing 11)    -   3. Slide stitch back to tensioner. (Drawing 12)    -   4. Hold the yarn at left side of needle and pull back 1 inch,        forming the first basic knit-like stitch. (Drawing 13)    -   5. Push the needle through next stitch of basic chain, slipping        the first basic knit-like stitch onto the needle as you did        before. (Drawing 14)    -   6. Continue in this manner through every stitch of basic chain        until reaching the end of the row. (Drawing 15)    -   7. Basic knit-like stitch in progress (Drawing 16)

Basic Crochet-like (CL) Stitch: (Follows a row of basic knit-likestitch.)

With tool on left and chain on the right, user is ready to begin row.(Drawing 17)

-   -   1. Skip first stitch. Insert needle through top and bottom of        second stitch. (Drawing 18)    -   2. Hold both turning stitch and the new stitch in left hand and        pull needle back 1 inch. (Drawing 19)    -   3. Push needle through 2 stitches in left hand, pushing stitches        back to tensioner. (Drawing 20)    -   4. Hold the yarn at the needle eye and pull the tool back 1        inch.    -   5. Push the needle through top and bottom of next stitch (3rd        stitch) of basic knit-like stitch. Repeat steps 2-4 and continue        through each stitch to end of row. (Drawing 21)

Embellishing: The tool can be used for surface embellishing (Drawings 22& 23) and stitching on beads (Drawing 24)

Seaming: The tool can be used for seaming together the pieces of agarment (Drawing 25).

1. There are hand knitting needles and crochet hooks and otheryarn-using tools on the market. The most common devices are knittingneedles and crochet hooks. The advantages we claim for our device overthese traditional methods of creating knit and crochet fabric are asfollows: It is easier to learn to create knit-like and crochet-likestitches using our device because the stitches are formed one stitch ata time. No knitting or crochet experience is necessary. It is morecomfortable to use due to the way the tool is held (as a pencil would beheld). The yarn cannot drop off the device. The stitches are less likelyto be dropped, since there is only one live stitch open at a time;unlike with traditional needles where an entire row of stitches can bedropped. Unlike with traditional knitting and crochet, the user does notcarry the yarn through his fingers, the yarn carrier does this, leavingthe user in better control of forming the stitches with a betterunderstanding of how the stitches are formed. The fabric created by thedevice is not limited in size or shape, as it can be shaped byincreasing and decreasing stitches. The device can create a variety ofdifferent knit- and crochet-like stitches depending on how the needle isinserted into the loops. The device can also create stitches that areunlike traditional knit and crochet stitches. The device can use a widerange of thicknesses and types of yarn or filaments. Stitches ofdifferent sizes can be created by using the stitch tensioners to adjustthe size of the stitch. The device has other uses which include seamingor sewing, surface embellishing, applying beads, making knit-like andcrochet-like jewelry, applying trims, stitching on canvas, and manyother applications. Due to how the stitches are formed, the fabriccreated by the device does not curl, as is typical with traditionalknitted fabric. Yarn carriers make the yarn (or other stitchingmaterial) less likely to tangle when in use. The fabric created by thedevice is much loftier and more dimensional than fabric created byknitting and crocheting. The device offers users an alternative toknitting and crocheting, which would be of interest to both experiencedknitters or crocheters as well as to non-knitters and crocheters. It iseasy for a child to learn to use this tool because of the nature of theway the stitches are formed.